Web 2.0…am I missing something?
Clients will ask me from time to time, with trepidation on their face: “What is web 2.0?” The underlying question is: “Am I missing something?”
Web 2.0 “refers to a perceived second-generation of Web based communities and hosted services such as social networking sites, wikis and folksonomies that facilitate collaboration and sharing between users” (Wikipedia). Sharing…collaboration…communities….are these really new? As this Wikipedia article attests, the term becomes a bit meaningless when you consider that these capabilities have all existed since the beginning of the web.
It is most helpful to think of web 2.0 as an increased emphasis on participatory websites. Think dialogue…not monologue. Have you considered how effectively your website is engaging visitors? Statistics software like Google Analytics can help you analyze which pages are most popular on your website, and which pages visitors remain on the longest.
To enhance the “stickiness” of your site and increase your return traffic, take advantage of the many community tools available today
- Blogs
- Podcasts
- Videos
- Wikis
Also, many corporations and organizations are effectively using websites like MySpace and Facebook to raise awareness about their services and products.
Are you missing anything with web 2.0? Only if you ignore the opportunity to engage your visitors by deploying today’s community website tools.
Speaking of collaboration…click on “Leave a comment” below and tell us what you think!
eye9 Design is a Denver web development company providing web site development to clients around the globe.
November 29th, 2007 at 7:46 pm
Hi Brian. Thanks for the insights. I’d like to add one thing.
While it’s true there is a shift with “2.0″ from mere publication to participation, the 2.0 thing is more pointedly a reflection of cultural shifts. Some call it Post-Modern as opposed to Modern. We see it vocationally. Whereas our parents stuck with a corporate job for 30+ years, that is not the post-modern mindset. This could be interpreted to be distressing to those establishing a “brand”. But actually there is great hope for smaller business. Brands are very expensive to build — requiring a lot of awareness marketing over a long, long period of time. Small business can’t afford to compete at that level anyway.
Here’s where I see “2.0″ offering hope. More than anything, 2.0 is not brand-centric. We naturally tend to build websites that are all about us, the easiest thing for us to talk about — with great energy. Post-moderns don’t get it. What they do get is when you engage them with the conversation they are already having, going to them rather then requiring they come to you and speak your language and be able to embrace all of your excitement for your reasons. 2.0 is about facilitating their conversation with your web site. That’s why 2.0 is participating in the blogosphere. That is why 2.0 is creating YouTube video in their language. That is why 2.0 invites comments and even control of content so that the market is not only adapted to but the market owns the cause.
Gen X, Gen Y, Millenials, all these catchy terms for the overpassing generations, embrace cause before brand. Those dependent on business from these generations must consider 2.0 innovations to reap a full harvest from the web, not just to stay on top of the trends.
Brian, again, thanks, and keep up the awesome work! I mean these comments only to add to your insights, not to counter them in any way.
November 30th, 2007 at 10:41 am
“2.0 is about facilitating their conversation with your web site.”
Well put Dru. Your comments about the shift in mindset are right on. Less “top down” and more “conversational.”
Sometimes people focus on the technological aspects of 2.0. If anything the technologies are secondary. The real shift is to engage your visitors in a conversation.
Thanks!
April 10th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Check out http://www.scribd.com/doc/247520/PHP-Leads-Web2-0 . The beginning of this white paper entitled “PHP Leads Web 2.0″ by Andi Gutmans of Zend Technologies, Inc. has a great definition of what Web 2.0 is.